Chapter 1 Returning Home
In the warm spring of March, the chill of winter had just passed, and the charcoal stoves in the mansion had already been removed. However, the weather wasn't exactly warm, and people dared not easily change out of their winter clothes. Staying indoors, if one could get some sunlight, was fine; but if not, after a while, it inevitably became damp and cold.
The swallows outside the window chirped and chattered without stopping for a moment. At first, I found it noisy, but I got used to it later.
Yu An clenched her fists, trying to warm her fingers, which had become stiff and cold from holding the pen for too long, with the warmth of her palms. With her eyelids half-closed, a faint shadow was cast under her bright and clear eyes, which could not hide the subtle fatigue within.
Baozhu was anxious and offered her mistress the hot water bottle hidden in her sleeve several times, but her mistress refused each time.
She had no idea that there wasn't a place in this huge mansion where one could bask in the sun, yet she had to make people sit in such a cramped and cold place to check expenses for two hours straight, without even getting a cup of hot tea.
To put it another way, it's one thing for a mother-in-law to leave her daughter-in-law to do chores, but why would she sit and chat with her daughter?
She clearly knew that her daughter's mother had passed away early, yet she still pretended to be a loving mother to her daughter. Isn't that just hurtful?
"Mother, look at the new hairpin I had specially made. Doesn't it match my outfit perfectly?"
The girl touched the hairpin in her hair with a smug look on her face, her face beaming with a bright smile and her eyes full of anticipation for praise.
As she expected, the woman beside her immediately smiled and agreed, "Our Shu'er looks good in anything."
Although she had heard it countless times, Ji Shu still enjoyed it as always. After being happy for a while, she snuggled into her mother's arms like a little girl, basking in the sun and acting coquettishly as if no one else was around. It was as if the screen not far away really divided the room into two worlds, making her completely oblivious to the people on the other side of the screen.
This is not her fault. Born into the prestigious Ji family, her elder brother was a newly rich official who had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations. Naturally, she had a background and resources that allowed her to live a carefree life.
For her, the biggest setback recently was probably that her new sister-in-law was not the one she liked.
As it turned out, her elder brother, Ji Jinghe, didn't particularly like his new wife either; otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed away from home for a month after their wedding. If she had been sent to inspect local areas, it would have been fine, but she was staying in various government offices in the capital. No matter who sent someone to inquire, she would always make excuses about being too busy with official duties to return home.
Such an excuse is fine once or twice, but if it happens too often, it can only be considered a pretext.
If a new wife were to become like her sister-in-law, it would be a complete disgrace.
"Mother, did you send someone to call my brother home today? It's been a month, and he still hasn't come back..." Ji Shu asked casually, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, enough to be heard in the next room.
Mentioning this, Shen Qiulan couldn't help but sigh: "She called out, every single day she's called out, but it's just the same old thing."
Upon hearing this, Ji Shu felt a surge of anger rising within her. She broke free from his embrace and said with dissatisfaction, "Mother, you have to think of a way. Because of this matter, I was almost laughed to death by the Wang family when I went out today. Even if it's not for my brother's sake, you have to think about me."
"To be honest, this is strange..."
Ji Shu was speaking loudly when the last half of her words got stuck in her throat, and the room fell silent instantly. Yu An's hand, which was holding a pen, paused, causing a faint ink stain to appear on the ledger.
After a long stalemate, anyone could guess what was going on.
This is to call her out.
Marrying as the daughter of the current Grand Secretary would be the most dignified thing, no matter which family she marries into. However, if her husband hides away from home for a month after the wedding, even the most magnanimous in-laws will inevitably have complaints.
Moreover, it was the Ji family, a wealthy and influential family of the time.
Therefore, her mother-in-law, who was always polite to her, made her copy Buddhist scriptures for four hours this morning. After lunch, she was not allowed to relax and did not even take a nap. She was called to check the accounts, which took another two hours.
She should have realized it sooner, but unfortunately, it was still blatantly pointed out, exposing her embarrassment. Yu'an suppressed her bitterness and continued to nonchalantly tap on the abacus, pretending not to have heard.
A moment later, a voice calling out came from outside the screen.
"Go to the kitchen and see if the pear blossom cake is ready yet. I'm a little hungry," Shen Qiulan said.
There were servants inside, but after the words were spoken, no one moved for a long time. It seemed that these words could only be spoken to Yu'an.
Knowing that they were intentionally trying to get her to leave, she had nothing to say. She simply agreed and left with Baozhu.
After getting a little further away from the door, Baozhu was finally freed.
"Such a large manor, is it lacking those two capable old women? There were clearly servants in the room just now, and they were able to order the young lady around."
If they wanted to send people away to say something shady, they could have just let them pack their things and go home. Why bother making up such a deceptive story?
In her opinion, the Ji family was even worse than the Chu family. Not only were their meals bland and devoid of meat, but their servants were also masters of looking down on people. Their young master himself wasn't coming back, yet he was blaming others.
"Go ahead and say it. I guess she's resentful of me. I'll be fine after a while."
Yu An took the hot water bottle into her hands and rubbed her temples.
The densely packed accounts were giving her a headache, and on top of that, there was Shen Qiulan's birthday banquet on the 28th of this month. She was really busy enough.
Baozhu learned that in previous years it was just a family meal together, but this year, after she married into the family, Shen Qiulan, remembering Ji Jinghe's promotion to the cabinet, insisted on using her birthday banquet as an excuse to celebrate properly and invite guests from all over the capital.
With such a large operation comes a lot of expenses, and countless details need to be considered. Shen Qiulan used the fact that she had already married into the family as an excuse to assign tasks to her, leaving her with no choice but to grit her teeth and continue, keeping her busy for the entire month.
But upon closer examination, the people in the household might not actually listen to her orders. In the end, she could only get things done if Shen Qiulan nodded in approval.
"Now that you're married into this family, things are different from back home. You can say these things to me, but I dare not let anyone else hear them."
After arriving at the kitchen, Yu'an told Baozhu to take the hot water bottle back, and then lingered outside for a while before turning back on her way home.
As she held the freshly made pastries, about to raise her hand to knock on the door, she clearly heard Ji Shu's displeased voice—
"...Mother, don't think I don't understand anything. You've seen through my brother's avoidance of home a long time ago. Otherwise, you wouldn't have allowed Aunt Lin to come over every few days. Tell me the truth, aren't you planning to take a concubine for my brother...?"
Shen Qiulan: "As for marriage and having children, I have to make plans for your brother in advance. When your brother came to me with the marriage contract, I thought it was mutual love, but who knew he would be like this after marriage. If he keeps hiding like this every day, how will he live in the future? Your brother has only been married for a month. Taking a concubine now would be a loss of face. I only took a liking to your aunt's child and considered it in advance."
"If that's the case, why don't you consider Sister Xu..."
The rustling sounds inside continued unabated, seemingly unaware of the stiff figure standing outside the door.
Taking a concubine.
Yu An's hand, which was about to knock on the door, seemed to be frozen in mid-air as if by those two words. Other idle chatter flowed past her ears with the cold wind passing through the corridor, but those two words kept echoing, resonating in her empty heart.
Before the marriage, this was a perfect match, both in accordance with the parents' wishes and the matchmaker's words, and in accordance with the true feelings of the two families. Everyone in and around the capital was envious and full of praise.
She once thought it was a perfect marriage, a rare opportunity that would fulfill her dreams and her girlish aspirations. But things didn't go as planned. Fate brought her together with him, and she became his wife. However, he didn't give her a loving and affectionate married life. In fact, just one month after their marriage, her mother-in-law started planning to take a concubine.
It was as if a wad of cotton was stuck in her chest, and her hand, frozen on the door, had no choice but to fall down helplessly. Looking down at the still warm pastry in her hand, her weariness deepened.
For her, Ji Jinghe was the only bright star among a multitude. A hasty glance he gave her from inside the carriage was enough to silently entwine her heart with his affections, and the secret feelings took root in her soul.
She had thought that this feeling would fade away like smoke, but unexpectedly, half a year ago, her father brought her back with a marriage certificate written in his own hand. He told her that she had been chosen by the Marquis's wife, and to express his feelings, he had given her Ji Jinghe's beloved Luming Qin (a type of zither).
Even today, Yu-An can clearly remember the joy of receiving the marriage certificate.
But time is often cruel, and the truth will eventually be revealed, showing the world its pale side.
This was just her unrequited love; in fact, they had never even met once before their marriage.
Now, because she couldn't keep her new husband, she has not only become a sinner who has let down her parents and children, but her mother-in-law is also starting to consider taking a concubine.
An indescribable sense of loss welled up inside her, a bittersweet feeling that made her want to cry but couldn't. A feeling of utter helplessness threatened to engulf her, leaving her with no room for retaliation.
...
What are you thinking about?
The sound from behind wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble thrown into still water. She jolted, her shoulders tensed, and she whirled around almost reflexively, dropping the plate from her hands.
She instinctively reached out to catch it, but the other person was far more agile, catching the plate steadily before she could even extend her hand. By the time she realized what had happened, three red scratches from her fingernails were visible on the other person's fair hand…
Her eyes, which had been filled with sorrow, suddenly widened. When she looked up and met those dark, clear eyes, she was too shocked to hide her panic, and even her breath hitched.
"You... why is Grandpa back?"
It took Yu'an a while to recognize the person. Her voice still trembled with embarrassment, and the tips of her ears, hidden by her bangs, were faintly red.
Ji Jinghe, dressed in a scarlet official robe, held the exquisite lotus saucer in his long, powerful hands, which looked extremely incongruous. For years, he had never shown his emotions, but a hint of surprise unexpectedly appeared between his brows.
He hadn't expected their second meeting as husband and wife to be like this. Noticing the lingering shock on her face and her innocent, almond-shaped eyes, he was speechless.
Seeing the pastries scattered everywhere in a terrible state, Ji Jinghe was just about to call for servants to clean up when Shen Qiulan and Ji Shu came out from inside the room upon hearing the noise.
"My son is back." Shen Qiulan excitedly grabbed his hand, her face full of joy. Even though she saw the terrible scene on the ground and guessed what was going on, she didn't care much at this moment and focused all her attention on Ji Jinghe.
"Come in quickly, have you eaten? Mother will go and call someone to prepare something. I haven't seen you for a month, you've lost weight, are you not sleeping well outside...?"
"All is well, I have troubled my mother."
Ji Shu followed them inside, leaving Yu An behind.
The heavy curtain blocked out the sounds inside, making the sounds she heard outside the door half as loud as they were originally. After handing over the "mess" to the servants, she held her breath and went inside again.
"Why have you been so busy these past few days? You haven't even come home." Shen Qiulan complained, but she was mostly worried about her son.
“The court is currently undergoing reforms, and the cabinet needs to draft plans and discuss details. Just sorting out the land registers submitted by local governments has filled the office. The number of documents handled every day is countless, and we work day and night without stopping. It is only because of this that my son has been away from home for more than a month. I have made my mother worry.” Ji Jinghe sat upright in the grand chair and said gently.
His return today was a stroke of luck, and Shen Qiulan had no intention of questioning whether it was true or not; as long as he was willing to come back, that was enough. So, disregarding everything else, she first ordered people to begin preparing dinner, fearing that there might be any neglect at home.
Ji Shu sat down next to Shen Qiulan as usual, and said with a smile, "Brother, you didn't even give us a heads-up before you came back. My sister-in-law called out 'Master' outside the door just now, and that's when my mother and I found out it was you. My sister-in-law was so shocked when she saw you that she couldn't even hold the plate."
The conversation was tinged with probing, and the teasing tone couldn't hide the underlying suspicion and sarcasm that she was eavesdropping outside the door.
Shen Qiulan held back and didn't ask openly, but Ji Shu, young and impetuous, couldn't hide it. After all, the commotion just now was so obvious, no one was a fool.
As Yu An was pondering how to begin, the person sitting next to her spoke first for her.
"Is that so? Mother and Shu'er have probably misunderstood Madam."
A note from the author:
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Updates every other day; updates will follow the rankings after reaching 30,000 words.
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The text is as follows:
Due to a drunken whim of both grandfathers, Pei Qingming, who came from a family of scholars, was betrothed to a military family from a young age.
The world knew that the eldest sister of the Yang family was radiant and gentle, and was certain that she and Pei Qingming were a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, it was the youngest sister of the Yang family, Yang Qiao, who spent her days in the army, wielding weapons and fighting. The world was shocked and pitied Pei Qingming for his wasted life.
This new bride was shallow in knowledge and vulgar in speech. She was always afraid of the cold and snuggled into his arms for warmth, showing no ladylike behavior during their intimate moments. The two could not see eye to eye, and Pei Qingming felt that the road ahead was difficult. He only wished to live out the rest of his life in peace and did not think of anything else.
But as time went on, he gradually grew accustomed to his wife's roughness.
She was strong and resolute, agile, and possessed qualities unlike those of ordinary women; even more unexpectedly, she was the one who had saved him from icy water when he was young. Just as he fell in love with her, she left behind a letter of divorce and disappeared without a trace…
*
Yang Qiao had been a lovesick girl since childhood, and ever since she saw the handsome Pei Qingming, she had kept him in her heart. So when the family was discussing who should get married, she stepped forward without hesitation. She thought that the bustling capital would be more interesting than staying at home, but unfortunately, not only did she lose her freedom, but even her husband found fault with her in every way.
In the enchanting embrace of the bed at night, Yang Qiao, suppressing the flutter in her heart, whispered breathlessly, "Qingming, you really don't like me?"
The man continued his actions, answering without any lust: "When husband and wife consummate their marriage, what is there to talk about love?"
In the end, it was all one-sided wishful thinking... Oh well, a young lady like me has no shortage of husbands, let's get a divorce!
*
She left behind a divorce agreement and returned to Yulin. Just as she was putting her heartbreak behind her, Pei Qingming reappeared.
One moment he'd bring her blankets and a heater, the next he'd get jealous for no reason and even shamelessly warm her bed.
"Pei Qingming, didn't we say we had nothing to do with each other anymore?"
“I didn’t sign the divorce papers, we’re still husband and wife,” the man said through gritted teeth. “I’m yours in life and in death, I will never leave you.”
The contemporary romance novel "Zhe Guang" features a resilient and clear-headed straight woman and a gentle and mature older man (a classic melodramatic story, please give it a like).
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